Splice plate for cable tray fitting

ABSTRACT

A fitting splice plate connects a cable tray fitting to a cable tray section. The fitting splice plate includes a guard extending in an outboard direction from a second longitudinal portion of a plate body adjacent a first longitudinal portion of the plate body. The guard is adjacent one of an upper side and a lower side of the second longitudinal portion. The fitting splice plate may include both upper and lower guards.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to a splice plate for a cabletray fitting, a method of using the same, and a cable tray assemblyincluding the splice plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Ladder-type cable tray is used by industry to support electrical cable,for example. A length or section of ladder cable tray comprises a pairof side rails connected by cable-supporting rungs extending between therails at intervals along the tray. Cable tray sections and fittings arespliced together using splice plates to form a cable tray assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect, a fitting splice plate for connecting a cable trayfitting to a cable tray section generally comprises a plate body havinga generally planar shape. The plate body has a first longitudinalportion configured to connect to the cable tray section, and a secondlongitudinal portion configured to connect to the cable tray fitting.The first longitudinal portion has a width extending between upper andlower sides thereof. A guard extends in an outboard direction from thesecond longitudinal portion adjacent the first longitudinal portion. Theguard is adjacent one of an upper side and a lower side of the secondlongitudinal portion.

Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed outhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a cable tray assembly including a cable traysection, a cable tray fitting, and fitting splice plates;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section of a rail of the cable tray section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section of a rail of the cable tray fitting;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the junctures of thefitting splice plate, the cable tray section and the cable tray fitting;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the junctures of thefitting splice plate, the cable tray section and the cable tray fitting;

FIG. 7 is a front perspective of the fitting splice plate;

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective of the fitting splice plate;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation of the fitting splice plate; and

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the fitting splice plate.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, a cable trayassembly constructed according to the teachings of the presentdisclosure is generally indicated at reference numeral 10. The cabletray assembly includes a cable tray section, generally indicated at 12;a cable tray fitting, generally indicated at 14; and fitting spliceplates, each generally indicated at 16, connecting together the cabletray section and the cable tray fitting. As used herein, terms denotingrelative locations and positions of components and structures, includingbut not limited to “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “front,” and“rear,” are in reference to the cable tray assembly 10 in the horizontalorientation, as shown in FIG. 1. It is understood that these terms areused for ease of description and not meant in a limiting sense. It isunderstood that the cable tray assembly 10 may be in a verticalorientation in the field, whereby the relative locations and positionsof the components and structures would be different than as shown in thedrawings. As used herein, the term “inboard” means toward or in theinterior of the cable tray section 12, cable tray fitting 16, and/orcable tray assembly 10. As used herein, the term “outboard” means awayfrom the interior or at the exterior of the cable tray section 12, cabletray fitting 14, and/or cable tray assembly 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cable tray section 12 includes twoparallel rails, generally indicated at 24, (e.g., straight rails)forming the sides of the cable tray section, and a plurality ofcable-supporting rungs 26 extending between the rails 24 at intervalsspaced lengthwise of the section. Each rail 24 has a generally I-shapedcross section or profile, broadly a first cross-sectional shape (e.g.,general I-shaped beam). Each rail 24 may have other cross-sectionalshapes. Each rail 24 comprises a generally vertical web 30, an uppergenerally horizontal flange 32 at the upper end of the web havinginboard and outboard portions 32 a, 32 b, and a lower generallyhorizontal flange 34 at the lower end of the web having inboard andoutboard portions, 34 a, 34 b. The rungs 26 are secured (e.g., bywelding) to the inboard portions 34 a of the lower flanges 34.Pre-formed fastener holes 36 (e.g., square or rectangular shapedopenings) are defined by the webs 30 adjacent opposite ends of the rails24 for use in connecting the fitting splice plates 16 to the cable traysection 12, as will be described. The length of each manufactured cabletray section 12 may also vary (e.g., from 10-30 feet). Sections 12 areoften cut to fit in the field to varying lengths.

The illustrated cable tray fitting 14 comprises two rails, generallyindicated at 44, (e.g., curved rails) forming the sides of the cabletray fitting, and a plurality of cable-supporting rungs 46 extendingbetween the rails 44 at intervals spaced lengthwise of the fitting. Eachrail 44 has a generally C-shaped cross section, broadly a secondcross-sectional shape (e.g., general C-shaped beam). Each rail 44 mayhave other cross-sectional shapes. Each rail 44 comprises a generallyvertical web 50, an upper generally horizontal flange 52 at the upperside of the web extending in an inboard direction, and a lower generallyhorizontal flange 54 at the lower end of the web extending in an inboarddirection. The rungs 46 are secured (e.g., by welding) to the inboardportions of the lower flanges 54 extending inboard from respective webs.Pre-formed fastener holes 56 (e.g., square or rectangular shapedopenings) are defined by the webs 50 adjacent opposite ends of the rails44 for use in connecting the fitting splice plates 16 to the cable trayfitting 14, as will be described. The illustrated cable tray fitting 14is configured as a horizontal bend fitting (e.g., 90° horizontal bend).In other embodiments, the cable tray fitting 14 may be configured, forexample, as a 30°, 45°, or 60° horizontal bend fitting; or a horizontaltee; or a horizontal cross; or left, straight, or right reducer; or ahorizontal reducing tee; or a horizontal expanding tee; or a horizontalexpanding/reducing cross; or a left hand or right hand horizontal wye;or a 90° vertical outside or inside bend; or a 60° vertical outside orinside bend; or a 45° vertical outside or inside bend; a 30° verticaloutside or inside bend; or a vertical up or down tee; or a cable supportfitting. The cable tray fitting may be of other configurations.

Referring to FIGS. 7-10, the fitting splice plate 16 includes a platebody, generally indicated at 60, having a generally planar shape with aninboard face 62 and an outboard face 64. The plate body 60 has a firstlongitudinal portion 66 for connecting to the cable tray section 12, anda second longitudinal portion 68 for connecting to the cable trayfitting 14. As shown in FIG. 9, width W1 (e.g., maximum width) of thefirst longitudinal portion 66 extending between upper and lower sidesthereof is less than a width W2 (e.g., maximum width) of the secondlongitudinal portion extending between upper and lower sides thereof.Each of the first and second longitudinal portions 66, 68 definesfastener openings 70 that are alignable with corresponding fasteneropenings 36, 56 in the respective cable tray section 12 and cable trayfitting 14 and through which fasteners 74 are received. The plate body60 may be integrally formed as a single, one-piece, monolithicallyformed component.

Upper and lower guards 78 of the fitting splice plate 16 extend in theoutboard direction from respective upper and lower sides of the secondlongitudinal portion 68 adjacent the first longitudinal portion 66. Asexplained in more detail below, the upper and lower guards 78 shield theoutboard portions 32 a, 34 a of the respective upper and lower flanges32, 34 of the corresponding rail 24 of the cable tray section 12. In theillustrated embodiment, the upper and lower guards 78 comprise internedfingers folded over the outboard face 64 of the second longitudinalportion 68 to define a generally round edge. The guards 78 may beintegrally formed with the plate body 60 as a single, one-piece,monolithically formed component. In one example, the guards 78 and theplate body 60 may be formed from a piece of sheet metal, wherebysuitable cutting and folding processes form the plate body and theguards.

Alignment tabs 82 (e.g., upper and lower tabs) of the fitting spliceplate 16 extend in the inboard direction from plate body 60. Asexplained in more detail below, the alignment tabs 82 are configured tobe inserted into corresponding ones of the fastener openings 56 in theweb 50 of the cable tray fitting 14 to align the fitting splice plate 16on the fitting. In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment tabs 82extend from the second longitudinal portion 68, although in otherembodiments the alignment tabs may extend from the first longitudinalportion 66 or both the first and second longitudinal portions. In theillustrated embodiment, each alignment tab 82 comprises a tonguereceived in slot-shaped tongue opening 84 extending along the length ofthe body 60. Each tongue has an attached longitudinal end attached tothe plate body 60, a free end free from attachment to the plate body,and upper and lower sides free from attachment to the plate body. Assuch, each tongue is cantilevered. Each tongue is bent along its lengthso that a portion thereof projects outward from the tongue opening 84.The free end of the tongue is spaced apart from a longitudinal end ofthe tongue opening 84 to define an additional fastener opening 88. Eachadditional fastener opening 88 has a generally square or rectangularshape (or other shape) and is alignable with corresponding fasteneropening 56 in the cable tray fitting 14 and through which a fastener 74is received.

In one method of assembling the cable tray assembly 10, the longitudinalends of the cable tray section 12 and the cable tray fitting 14 arebrought together so that the webs 30, 50 of the corresponding rails 24,44 are generally abutted. Each fitting splice plate 16 is positioned onthe cable tray section 12 and the cable tray fitting 14 so that thefitting splice plate lies generally flush against the outboard faces ofthe webs 30, 50 of the respective cable tray section and the cable trayfitting. The fitting splice plates 16 are secured to the cable traysection 12 and the cable tray fitting 14 by inserting the suitablefasteners 74 (e.g., bolts) into the aligned fastener openings 36, 56,70, 88 in the cable tray section 12, the cable tray fitting 14, and thefitting splice plate 16, and tightening nuts 90 on the fasteners. Thealignment tabs 82 of the fitting splice plates 16 are inserted intocorresponding fastener openings 56 of the cable tray fittings 14 beforeinserting and/or tightening nuts 90 on the fasteners 74. The alignmenttabs 82 facilitate alignment of the fitting splice plate 16 on the cabletray fitting 14.

As shown in FIGS. 4-6, the upper and lower guards 78 are configured togenerally oppose the outboard portions 32 b, 34 b of the respectiveupper and lower flanges 32, 34 of the corresponding rail 24 of the cabletray section 12. As shown in FIG. 6, the upper and lower guards 78 haveoutboard extents 100 that are substantially equal to or greater thanoutboard extents 102 of the outboard portions 32 b, 34 b of therespective upper and lower flanges 32, 34. Moreover, referring to FIG.5, widthwise (or heightwise as illustrated) extents WE1 of the upper andlower guards 78 (only the lower guard being shown in FIG. 5) aresubstantially equal to or greater than widthwise (or heightwise asillustrated) extents WE2 of the outboard portions 32 b, 34 b of therespective upper and lower flanges 32, 34. In this way, the upper andlower guards 78 effectively shield the outboard and widthwise extents ofthe outboard portions 32 b, 34 b of the respective upper and lowerflanges 32, 34 of the corresponding rail 24 of the cable tray section 12at the juncture of the cable tray section and the cable tray fitting 14(e.g., at the longitudinal ends of the cable tray section and the cabletray fitting). Thus, the upper and lower guards 78 protect against auser being injured due to the longitudinal ends of the outboard portions32 b, 34 b of the respective upper and lower flanges 32, 34 protrudinglaterally outward relative to the corresponding rails 44 of the cabletray fitting 14. As illustrated, the upper and lower guards 78 may bespaced a longitudinal distance from the longitudinal ends of the upperand lower flanges 32, 34 of the cable tray section 12. In anotherembodiment, the upper and lower guards 78 may abut the longitudinal endsof the upper and lower flanges 32, 34 of the cable tray section 12. Theupper and lower guards 78 also provide the function of inhibitingcanting of the fitting splice plate 16 by acting as stops, therebyfacilitating alignment of the fitting splice plate on the cable traysection 12 and the cable tray fitting 14.

Modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments are possiblewithout departing from the scope of the invention defined in theappended claims.

When introducing elements of the present invention or the embodiment(s)thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to meanthat there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”,“including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products,and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description and shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fitting splice plate for connecting a cabletray fitting to a cable tray section, the fitting splice platecomprising: a plate body having a generally planar shape, the plate bodyhaving a first longitudinal portion configured to connect to the cabletray section, and a second longitudinal portion configured to connect tothe cable tray fitting, wherein the first longitudinal portion has awidth extending between upper and lower sides thereof; and a guardextending in an outboard direction from the second longitudinal portionadjacent the first longitudinal portion, wherein the guard is adjacentone of an upper side and a lower side of the second longitudinal portion2. The fitting splice plate set forth in claim 1, wherein the guard isadjacent the upper side of the second longitudinal portion, wherein atleast a portion of the guard is disposed above an upper side of thefirst longitudinal portion.
 3. The fitting splice plate set forth inclaim 1, wherein the guard is adjacent the lower side of the secondlongitudinal portion, wherein at least a portion of the guard isdisposed below a lower side of the first longitudinal portion.
 4. Thefitting splice plate set forth in claim 3, further comprising a secondguard extending in an outboard direction from the second longitudinalportion adjacent the first longitudinal portion, wherein the guard isadjacent the upper side of the second longitudinal portion, wherein atleast a portion of the second guard is disposed above an upper side ofthe first longitudinal portion.
 5. The fitting splice plate set forth inclaim 1, wherein a width of the first longitudinal portion extendingbetween upper and lower sides of the first longitudinal portion is lessthan a width of the second longitudinal portion extending between theupper and lower sides of the second longitudinal portion.
 6. The fittingsplice plate set forth in claim 1, wherein the guard comprises aninturned finger folded over an outboard face of the second longitudinalportion to define a generally round edge.
 7. The fitting splice plateset forth in claim 6, wherein the guard is integrally formed with theplate body as a single, one-piece, monolithically formed component. 8.The fitting splice plate set forth in claim 1, further comprising a tabprojecting from the plate body in an inboard direction.
 9. The fittingsplice plate set forth in claim 8, wherein the tab comprises a fingerreceived in a finger opening defined by the plate body, wherein thefinger is bent along its length so that a bent portion of the fingerdefines the tab projecting from the plate body in the inboard direction.10. The fitting splice plate set forth in claim 9, wherein the platebody has an attached longitudinal end attached to the plate body, a freelongitudinal end free from attachment to the plate body, and upper andlower sides free from attachment to the plate body so that the finger iscantilevered.
 11. The fitting splice plate set forth in claim 10,wherein the free longitudinal end of the finger is spaced apart from anopposing longitudinal end of the finger opening to define a fasteneropening configured to receive a fastener.
 12. The fitting splice plateset forth in claim 11, wherein the fastener opening has a generallyrectangular shape.
 13. The fitting splice plate set forth in claim 12,wherein the finger is integrally formed with the plate body as a single,one-piece, monolithically formed component.
 14. The fitting splice plateset forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second longitudinal portionsof the plate body define a plurality of fastener openings for receivingfasteners therein.
 15. The fitting splice plate set forth in claim 4, incombination with the cable tray section, wherein the cable tray sectioncomprises a rail including vertical web and upper and lower flangesextending from the vertical web and having outboard portions, whereinthe first longitudinal portion of the plate body is configured toconnect to the web of the cable tray section, wherein the guards areconfigured to oppose the outboard portions of the respective upper andlower flanges when the fitting splice plate is connected to web of thecable tray section.
 16. The fitting splice plate in combination with thecable tray section as set forth in claim 15, wherein the rail of thecable tray section has a generally I-shaped cross section.
 17. Thefitting splice plate in combination with the cable tray section as setforth in claim 15, in further combination with the cable tray fitting,wherein the cable tray fitting comprises a rail including a vertical weband being free from upper and lower flanges extending in an outboarddirection from the vertical web of the rail of the cable tray fitting,wherein the second longitudinal portion of the plate body is configuredto connect to the web of the rail of the cable tray fitting.
 18. Thefitting splice plate in combination with the cable tray section and thecable tray fitting as set forth in claim 17, wherein the rail of thecable tray fitting includes upper and lower flanges extending in aninboard direction from the vertical web.
 19. The fitting splice plate incombination with the cable tray section and the cable tray fitting asset forth in claim 17, wherein the a plurality of first fastenersconnect the first longitudinal portion of the fitting splice plate tothe web of the rail of the cable tray section, wherein a plurality ofsecond fasteners connect the second longitudinal portion of the fittingsplice plate to the web of the rail of the cable tray fitting.
 20. Thefitting splice plate in combination with the cable tray section and thecable tray fitting as set forth in claim 19, wherein the cable traysection is straight, and the cable tray fitting is curved.